BAE Systems said Thursday it delivered the first Airborne Wide Area Persistent Surveillance Sensor (AWAPSS) to the U.S. Army. The airborne persistent surveillance system provides continuous, wide-area, day-or-night situational awareness in complex operational environments, according to the company. "AWAPSS is an adaptation of BAE Systems’ unique reconnaissance technology," said Howard Weinstein, the company’s AWAPSS program director. "It’s a compact, lightweight, high-performance system that will play a vital part in saving the lives of our troops." The system integrates high-resolution, visible electro-optic and infrared imaging subsystems into a stabilized turret that can continuously record details of activities on the ground. BAE Systems began developing AWAPSS last year under a $23.8 million contract for two complete systems and two spare sensors.